THE RISE OF SAUVIGNON BLANC

This may be somewhat premature but hell, that has never stopped me before. I see something on the wine horizon that is very encouraging; sauvignon blanc sales are experiencing a steady increase over the past year. This is hardly scientific since I am basing my conclusions on what I see in the store that I work in. However, this has always been a reliable barometer for me and I do not see why it should let me down now. This past Fall, Winter and Spring, sauvignon blanc sales were out of this world in a time when they tend to come to a standstill. At first I thought it was an anomaly until I heard a respected wine critic I was watching make a passing comment on the rise in sales of the aforementioned varietal.

For me, this is a breath of fresh air. I have long been discouraged over the tenacious hold pinot grigio has had in the white wine category. It started with the rise in popularity of Italian pinot grigio and eventually bled over into the domestic side. For the past four years I have had difficulty keeping up with the demand. At first, it was a good thing. Chardonnay had lost some of it’s thunder and folks were looking elsewhere to quench their thirst for white wine. I would never discourage anyone from expanding their palate horizons. The problem however lies in the fact that most pinot grigio is one-dimensional and quite boring in many ways. People started feeling comfortable with this wine knowing that they would not have to think about what they are drinking. Just take it home and glug, glug, glug. Pinot grigio is in my estimation the McDonalds of white wine; you always know what you are going to get. Far be it from me to criticize, since on many occasions I have succumbed to the craving for several McDonald’s cheeseburgers in one sitting. I too enjoy a bottle of pinot grigio from time to time. However, to stick to pinot grigio because it is safe and you do not have to think about is a tragedy! Wine is all about experimentation, adventure and diversity. If you lose that, then you have lost a part of the wine world that is so much fun and so interesting. The amount of varietals that are available on the market these days is almost incomprehensible. Here are just a few of the white wines that you should be able to find in your local wine shop.

Torrontes from Argentina, semillon, riesling, chardonnay, pinot gris (same as pinot grigio, but an entirely different style), pinot blanc, aligote, Muscadet, marsanne, roussannse, viognier, gruner veltliner, chenin blanc (Vouvray in France), albarino, gewruztraminer, verdelho, verdicchio and of course sauvignon blanc. There are of course many others, but they are not as accessible. You may be asking yourself at this time..." Why is Stan excited about sauvignon blanc? Isn’t it just as one dimensional as pinot grigio?" I think this is a fair question and one that should be addressed. The answer is no and yes. I say yes simply because there are so many poorly made domestic sauvignon blancs on the market. Case in point; I was told by a salesperson that Woodward Canyon sauvignon blanc was absolutely delicious. I took him on his word and took into account the reputation of the winery. The wine went for thirty dollars retail so I was really looking forward to giving it a try. Much to my dismay, the wine was bland and uninteresting... very one dimensional. In the same sitting, I had tried a sauvignon blanc from the Languedoc region of France, an area not know for it’s sauvignon blanc. I was quite impressed with this effort, and went back to it after the Woodward Canyon disaster. What is my point? If you want to find out just how complex and amazing sauvignon blanc can be, you in most cases need to look outside the United States. Before I go on any further, it has to be said that there are some outstanding examples of this variety in this country. I recently tasted a stellar, vibrant example of what can be done with this wine from a small winery located near Bellingham, WA. However, the majority of outstanding examples still come from France, New Zealand and now Chile.

New Zealand sauvignon blanc can send you to the moon and back when done at it’s best. I personally do not prefer the grapefruit juice versions of these wines. I swear that if you put a little milk in a glass of some of the sauvignon blanc out of this country you would have a hard time telling the difference between the wine and a glass of grapefruit juice except for the buzz in your head after a glass or two. I can certainly understand the appeal and will be happy to lead you to a bottle of Kim Crawford. I personally enjoy the versions from this country that offer up a load of zingy acridity along with grass, lemon, lime, minerality and only slight hints of grapefruit. Hard to beat a glass of this on a warm summer day out on the back porch or deck. Then there is the sauvignon blanc from Sancerre, France. If we could only get the price down then I would be in heaven. Shining examples of what can be done with this grape. Racy acidity that makes my mouth water just thinking about it. Excellent minerality along with notes of fresh cut grass, wet stone, and in most cases hints of lemon. I believe that some of the best wine for oysters is Sancerre. France also shows off sauvignon blanc out of Bordeaux. Often blended with semillon it is some of the most interesting whites that you will find on the market. A little rounder with excellent minerality along with herbal notes. I am excited to see a rise in interest for white Bordeaux. Chile is also making a mark in the sauvignon blanc world and at excellent prices. If you are looking for delicious values in sauvignon blanc look no further then our friends from South America.

Yes, sauvignon blanc like any other varietal can be boring and humdrum when made poorly. However, done well it can be exciting to the palate and quite versatile. So watch out pinot grigio, the white that might knock you out of your comfortable position in the white wine category could very well be sauvignon blanc! Here’s to keeping it real. Stan The Wine Man.

Syrah is seeming to suffer a little bit of a let down in interest by the consumer these days. At first I thought it was just a local thing at the store. Then I read an article on the new Stephen Tanzer web-site that addressed the very issue of declining Syrah sales in the United States. I am saddened to see this happening for a number of reasons, the main one being that syrah is an awesome varietal and has so much potential. It shows it best expression in the Rhone valley, in particular northern Rhone with Hermitage, Cote-Rotie, Cornas and Saint-Joseph the reds made exclusively with the syrah grape. The other region where it shows its outstanding nature and qualities is in Washington State. In fact you could say for the sake of argument that it is in it’s infancy stage in Washington. We have yet to see what it is able to do in this state which is on the same latitude as the Rhone Valley. There are a number of schools out on why the decline in syrah sales. I can appreciate why northern Rhone wines may be suffering a decline considering the condition of the worldwide economy. Many of the reds from the northern Rhone go for a substantial amount of money. It is hard to find a Hermitage for under forty bucks. Also, you’re average consumer does not realize that these wines are 100% syrah, which is always a problem with french wines. Ask a room of four hundred people who are wine drinkers which grape or grapes are used in Hermitage, Cote-Rotie or Saint-Joseph and I think you would not be shocked if only five or so knew the answer. That is just the way it is with wines that do not have the varietal name on the label. Who wants to take the time to find that stuff out? Only wine geeks like myself. (Please do not feel sorry for me.... It’s an incurable disease)

The price point is not the issue with Washington or even California syrah. You can get some pretty good stuff for under thirty or even twenty bucks. I recently had great success with Cline California syrah at the store which retailed for around ten bucks. Not only was the price good, it was a decent if not good wine with soft tannins, boysenberry and plum notes with a silky smooth finish. Price point is always a driving force for wine sales and syrah many times, especially domestic boasts a really good value. So why the decline in interest for this varietal.

Stephen Tanzers web-site took a stab at it pointing out that many consumers are unsure about syrah. When they get a chance to taste it they love it, when it comes time to purchase a bottle they go to old familiar varietals such as merlot, cabernet sauvignon or pinot noir. Because I love syrah so much, it is hard for me to understand this reticence to experiment with different styles of this wine. I think this is a good point. Many consumers have trouble stretching their horizons when it comes to wine, especially if you are investing more then twenty bucks. I also think a contributing factor is the way in which the wine guys like myself describe syrah. People have a hard time wrapping their mind around such descriptors as bacon fat, smokey and silky viscosity. I have had several conversations with customers who are thrown off by these terms. I try to help them understand the concept of bacon fat and succeed from time to time. Other times I see the decision switch go to off and no matter what I say they walk away from a syrah purchase. Can we sugar coat a descriptor to help the consumer make a decision. The answer to that is yes, if we as wine stewards are not interested in educating our customers. I only avoid the smoke and bacon fat adjectives if it is not in the wine. I want my customer to understand those terms and come to grips with them so that when they see it in the future they will know what they are in for. This not only educates the consumer, it helps in long term wine sales.

The other explanation to declining syrah sales and one that I believe is the real reason is Australian shiraz, especially the Yellow Tail and Lindeman’s version of this wine. I would be willing to wager money that it took wine stewards like myself a good five plus years to convince consumers that syrah and shiraz were the same grape. We finally succeeded and at the same time, folks were getting tired of the coca cola fruit forward style of Australian shiraz. This of course crossed over into domestic and french syrah sales. Now, we have our work cut out for us. How do we go about explaining to our customer that although shiraz and syrah are the same grape, they are produced in a very different style in France and the U.S. Australian wine sales have gone in the tank and I believe this is because they have pigeon-holed themselves into the cheap shiraz category and the consumer is tired of this. At the same time it has taken a few victims with it, in particular domestic syrah sales. This my friends is a sad consequence and one that needs to be changed. Syrah has to be one of the most versatile food wines you can find. A great match with a number of foods such as ham, grilled beef, casseroles, stews, lamb, and duck. Also, a great solo wine. Unlike the Australian version, Washington and California syrah can go from soft and fruity to earthy and intense with good acidity and fruit balance. I have yet to find a domestic syrah that even comes close to the Australian cheap shiraz version. To digress for just a moment, I have nothing against Yellow Tail or Lindemans or Jacobs Creek shiraz. They  are great cross-over wines. A great way to get white wine drinkers to break into reds. It’s soft fruity and easy to drink. Heck, I even find myself craving a tootie fruity Australian shiraz from time to time. That being said, I do not see a quick return by the consumer to this style of wine in a big way any time soon.

I am committed to helping the consumer realize the quality and versatility of domestic syrah, in particular Washington syrah. I am dedicating the month of May to syrah. I will recommend it, drink it and do my best to feature and sell it at my store. I will tweet about it and make it a subject for my wine group on facebook. All I ask is for your cooperation in this effort. Make it a point to educate your palate. Try a different syrah at least a couple of times a month. I know you will find that you have been missing out on a great wine. I also know that there are many of you out there that already love syrah. Spread the word, and help me get syrah sales headed in the right direction. Here’s to keeping it real. Stan The Wine Man.

A lot of us could give a flying rat’s (you know what) about the globalization of wine. Many of us probably have never even taken the time to understand what that term means although if given just a little thought it wouldn’t take any of us long to figure it out. Robert Parker Jr. has been accused of being a major contributor to it along with the sharing of wine techniques all over the globe and the onslaught of globe- trotting wine makers and consultants such as Michel Rolland and Richard Smart. There have been many an article written about the fear that wine is becoming homogenous worldwide. The wine you get in France is the same as the wine you get in California, Washington, Italy, Spain, etc. etc. You get the picture. Many feel that because Parker has become so powerful and his scores have such a great influence on the sales of wine, that wineries around the world build their wines to fit his palate. The other angle is that the globetrotting wine consultants such as Rolland bring their techniques to so many wineries that in essence they all have the same concept on how to make wine and the same style. This all makes for interesting prose but is it true or just interesting debate? Are we so gullible as consumers that we will allow someone else to tell us what we should or should not like when it comes to wine? It would be foolish to deny the influence that Parker has. Many folks although fewer now then ten years ago look to his scores as a tried and true guideline to purchasing wine. If the Wine Advocate gives a wine the score of 94 points it is more then likely going to be very good. I am not sure if anyone cares that Michel Rolland was a consultant at a winery or not and if they could even identify his style. I do know that he was the winemaker for a merlot known as Pedestal which is part of the Long Shadows Winery headed up by Allen Shoup. To be blunt, I hated this wine and thought it was severely over-priced. Again, it would be ignorant of me to say that he has no impact on the wine world. Wineries all over the globe pay him big bucks for his direction and advice including the famous winery Screaming Eagle. He has the creds as we may say. But I am looking at things from a consumers standpoint.

To put this in the perspective of where I am coming from, let’s take macaroni and cheese as an example. In an upcoming tasting event I am going to have a line-up of best wines with mac & cheese. I will have a mac & cheese cook-off. Now most of us might think that you cannot do much with a mac & cheese recipe. Most of them have been shared around the world and most of them must taste fairly close to the same. Try to say that to someone and you will find yourself in the midst of a heated debate! Everyone has their favorite recipe and certainly theirs must be the best. You should hear some of the recipes that have been shared with me. I did not know there could be such a wide variety of ideas for such an age-old dish. The same is true of wine. No matter how hard someone may try to make a wine a certain way, there are a zillion folks out there who like it better another way. We cannot get around individuality. For every Robert Parker Jr. there is a Peter Parker or a Sally Jones. To say that every Cabernet Sauvignon is the same in France, Washington, California, Argentina and Australia as far as style and flavor profile goes is to say that every mac & cheese recipe is essentially the same in flavor profile and style in every household. Ridiculous. I agree. It does have to be said that we have gone through a period of time in which big bombastic, fruit forward reds were quite popular. Just as big buttery, oaky chardonnay were popular in the nineties. But like everything in wine, times are changing and folks are branching out in their knowledge of wines and their palates. Thanks to the plethora of blogs and the new wine critics of wine critics out there people are being exposed to new ideas and approaches to wine. The big fruit forward, high alcohol wines that Parker likes are no longer as popular with the consumer. I have found that many folks yearn for the earthy style reds of Rioja and some of the smaller producers of Bordeaux. Cabernet Franc which is known for it’s leaner style and herbaciousness is suddenly becoming one of the more sought after varietals. Will wine swing back to the style of the eighties for reds and the nineties for chardonnay? Time will tell. What has become obvious is that critics like Robert Parker Jr. are losing their grip on the consumer. As information comes to light about Parker and his associates practices, how his scores are jaded by his palate and what he likes, the consumer becomes wary of his direction. I personally have deep respect for what Parker has done and what he knows. The man has earned his stripes. But I do not believe that he is the definitive authority on what we should or should not like about wine. He is entitled to his opinion just as you are entitled to yours.

The wine world will always be interesting and varied. To say that wine will become homogenous because of globalization is like saying someday everyone on the earth is going to love broccoli because a famous author endorses it as the ultimate cure for mankind. I am sorry to inform you that people in general are not that easy to influence. Jesus Christ, one of the most influential humans in history could not turn everyone over to Christianity. The globalization of wine is a fun topic to discuss over a fine bottle of wine, but I am not sure if you should take it all that seriously. Never forget the power of the consumer to change things.. including trends in wine, the future of a critic or how winemakers approach their craft. I am excited to see so many individuals stretching their horizons in wine knowledge and understanding. Educating their palates to enjoy a variety of wines and appreciating their intrinsic qualities. I see folks going back to chardonnay after a decade of turning their backs on it. I see a great interest in varietals that were not abundantly available even five years ago. Mouvedre, Vermentino, Ugni Blanc, Grenache, Cab Franc, Gruner Veltliner, Counoise and many others. Rose has become more and more popular in the States as consumers educate their palate to enjoy this fine dry pink wine that is not white zindandel. We are almost past the ripe wine stage and on to other things. The only thing global about wine these days is the populations appreciation for wine and the wonderful world it opens up.

I believe without a shadow of a doubt that wine is as trendy as music, clothing and the teenage vernacular. What is in today is out tomorrow. Like many teenagers say, "Oh that is so last year." I’m sorry to say, even that saying may be outdated. The trends in wine can have a positive side but more often then not tend to lead wine drinkers into a steady diet of the same wines over and over again. Being the wine nerd that I am, I find great satisfaction in trying new and interesting wines on a weekly basis. I rarely if ever avoid buying a wine because it has received a bum rap from HOLLYWOOD or some fashionable magazine. I think you may know where I am going with this, but I will say it anyway... Merlot is the classic example. The movie Sideways hit the big screen and as many of you know, there was a derogatory statement made about Merlot. No big deal? That one scene in the movie caused sales of merlot to spiral into near non-existence. Thus began a trend that is still nagging the wine industry to this day. What is funny about this is that prior to the movie, merlot was a hot ticket and consumers could not get enough. How can a wine be so enjoyable one day and disdained the next? Trends! The same movie extolled the virtues of a wine that up to this point had achieved little success in the mass market.... pinot noir. After the movie there was an explosion (literally) in the sales of pinot noir throughout the United States. Wineries in Oregon that once sat on two to three years of vintages were now finding themselves out of wine. This is the positive side of a trend. Pinot noir is wonderful juice and was certainly under appreciated prior to the SideWays movie. Now, everyone seems to want to drink pinot and they have discovered just how delicious and complex it is. This trend has opened the eyes of many wine drinkers and has helped them expand their horizons when it comes to trying new wines. The flip side to this is that many have also stopped there, believing that pinot noir is the only red wine worth drinking. You may ask yourself , how do I know this? Being on the floor selling wine in a very popular wine shop has given me a lot of insight into the buying habits and opinions of my customers.

Here a just a few of the trends that I have observed in the wine world today.

*Chardonnay is still on most peoples black list. I love chardonnay and I am happy to report that there seems to be hope on the horizon that chardonnay is making a comeback.

*Pinot grigio and pinot gris are still a hot ticket in the wine world. This trend has had unbelievable stamina lasting a lot longer then I would have ever anticipated. I have asked many folks their take on this trend and have found no satisfying answers. Perhaps it is the versatility this white has with food that makes it a popular choice, who knows. All I can say is... For heaven’s sake, TRY SOMETHING NEW!! Vermentino anyone?

*Malbec, malbec, and more malbec! OMG people are clamoring for this stuff. This has to be one of the hottest categories in wine right now. The price is right and the quality of juice coming out of Argentina is stellar. The only thing I fear is that Argentina will pigeonhole themselves into this category and when it becomes stale or out of fashion they will suffer the same fate that Australia is now experiencing with shiraz.

*Speaking of Shiraz, it was four years ago what malbec is today. Not anymore. I have seen close to a sixty percent drop in sales of shiraz from Australia. Unfortunately, this has affected the entire Australian market since they hung their hat on this varietal. Australia is the home of some outstanding wines including cabernet sauvignon, sauvignon blanc and riesling. Sad to say but Australia has become synonymous with YellowTail shiraz and chardonnay. A residual effect of this is a drop in the sales of domestic syrah. As wine stewards, we have successfully done our job in helping people understand that shiraz and syrah are one and the same. As a result, folks have turned their attention elsewhere and away from syrah/shiraz. This trend is most disturbing to me since I adore syrah especially from Washington State and hate to see folks miss out on some of the terrific wines being produced there.

*The trend that I absolutely love to see and hope sticks around longer then pinot grigio ever will is the interest in red blends. The French have been blending reds since the beginning of time. Bordeaux is in fact all about blending the five grapes of Bordeaux into some of the best wine in the world. Cab, Merlot, Cab Franc, Malbec and petite Verdot are all the varieties grown in this region and blended together to produce Bordeaux reds. However, the blends that are exploding in popularity in the wine world are from California and Washington. Many times we refer to these blends as "Kitchen Sink" reds, because they throw every variety in the blend except the kitchen sink. Zinfandel, Syrah, Petite Verdot, Petite Sirah, Merlot, Mouvedre, Cabernet Sauvignon and the list goes on and on. The result is an outstanding variety of great values that go from excellent everyday reds to stellar productions that can be drunk now or cellared for some years. Marietta Old Vine Red, Menage a Trois, Big House Red, Fly-Over Red, Duck Pond Red, Sinister Hand, Abott’s Table Red, Isosceles, Napa Nook, Paraduxx, Long Haul Red, The Prisoner to name just a few, are some of the examples of red blends that have hit the market with great success. I have a good feeling about this trend.... It will be here for awhile.

I believe that there are also constants in the wine world; varietals that will always hold their own despite the trends. Cabernet Sauvignon, Italian wines as a whole, Spanish wines, and Champagne or sparkling wine. These wines show consistent sales year in and year out. Some varietals that have shown promise to be on the trend wagon in the near future are Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. Cab Franc sputters and coughs, and I am not sure if it will take off although I would readily endorse it. I have watched Sauvignon Blanc start to catch on fire and I believe that New Zealand has a lot to do with it. I will keep you posted.

As a wine guy, I am always happy to see folks try something new and if it takes a trend to get them there... Hooray! However, we must always be careful not to let trends hinder or adventuresome spirit when it comes to expanding our horizons in the wine world and all it has to offer. Cheers! Stan

It never ceases to amaze me that the debate about the "100" point scoring system goes on and on. Maybe wine guys have nothing better to do then pick on something that has been established in our society for some time. Maybe it’s plain old envy. Robert Parker Jr. made this whole scoring thing quite popular, and perhaps folks are simply jealous of his success and find fault in something that he has done. I am not sure of the motive behind the arguments.

It brings to mind an old saying... "When in Rome, do as the Romans do." I have seen many different types of scoring systems, the five glass scoring system, the 2o point system, (twenty points being the best score a wine can attain.) The three to five grape clusters, the four star system, etc. etc. I have also observed that some wine critics simply try to relay how they feel about a wine through their descriptions. If through a wine description it is obvious that the wine critic is not thrilled about the wine, you might think twice about buying it. How much easier is it to look at the score first, and if it is a mid to low eighty score perhaps you decide not to read the description knowing that you do not need to waste your time? I personally go for the second option because, let’s face it; time is valuable and like most people, I do not have time to waste. The sidebar to that last statement is that you better know the wine critics palate. This is the real key. Not all wine critics share our view on wine. It takes some time, but as we experiment with the scores that they give a wine compared to how we personally feel about it we will be able to navigate through their scores.

Here is an example of what I am talking about... James Laube, a wine critic for the Wine Spectator is one that has a very similar palate to my own. When he scores a wine 90+ it gets my attention. Nine times out of ten the wine that he likes, I like. It took me some time to figure that out but now it is easy for me to make a decision based on his judgement. On the other hand, there is Harvey Steiman, the Pacific Northwest, Australian and New Zealand critic for the same publication. When Harvey gives a wine a high score, I become doubtful. My palate and Harvey’s do not agree. Again, it took me a couple of times to figure this out. In both cases, their score on the 100 point scale helps me to make a decision on whether or not I want to give the wine a whirl. If James Laube rates it high I will probably give it a try. If Harvey gives it a high score I will be less likely to give it a try and look for other critics for some direction.

One of my favorite wine critics is Stephen Tanzer, of International Wine Cellar. Stephen is quite conservative and very objective. When he gives a wine a score in the nineties, it is almost guaranteed to be a stellar wine for me. He seems to score lower then I would on a wine. So, the point is that you find a wine guy or two that you like and can trust, and you look at the 100 point scale as a short-cut to making a decision. James Laube finds a wine and scores it 89 to 94 points I’ll give it a try. Stephen Tanzer gives a score of 86 to 90 points I’ll look for that wine. I just do not waste my time with Harvey Steiman, not because he doesn’t know anything, I just do not agree with his palate. Because I am a critic myself, I do like to read the descriptions that the other critics give the wine. Harvey Steiman does an excellent job of describing wine and I get a lot of good ideas from him. He has a knack for finding the right phrases and is quite eloquent. Another guy that is great with descriptions and telling you what he finds in a wine is Gary Vaynerchuk. I have to say that he is one of the most enjoyable guys to listen to. I would suggest that you look him up on www.winelibrarytv.com. A couple of years ago a friend of mine told me about this guy. Gary has a very similar approach to wine as I do and it is refreshing to hear someone with the same point of view. He uses the 100 point system and seems to wrestle with the concept. Who cares if he scores a wine 92 or simply says it is a really good wine. They both mean the same thing. Sometimes he gets a little carried away with the low scores and it is at this point that I will try a wine to see if it is really that bad. I have found that I do not always agree with his assessment on the low side of the scale. It did not take me all that long to figure this out and now I can dissect his scoring analysis with ease.

The 100 point system is just an easy way to get a bead on the psyche of a wine critic. It does not define a wine. How can it? If Robert Parker Jr. gives a wine 94 points, what does that tell me? That Robert Parker Jr. really likes that particular wine...not that it is really a 94 point wine in and of itself. What if Stephen Tanzer gives the same wine a score of 86. Who is right? Neither critic. They are both simply telling us how they personally feel about a wine and we have to decide which palate we prefer. Do we agree more with Parker’s palate or with Tanzer’s? We might try the wine and simply hate it, disagreeing with both critics. Great! Good for you! You have now come into your own. The sad story in this is when someone sees a high score by a respected critic, goes out and buys the wine, opens it with some friends and chokes it down hating every minute, and at the same time gushing about the wine simply because they feel like they have to like it because the critic did. How crazy is that? Yet, I have seen this happen over and over again. Please, I beg you... never let that happen to you. Go with your palate, scream it out at the top of your lungs if you disagree with a critic. Forget about Parker, Stan, Gary or Tanzer... it is all about you. The score simply helps you cut to the chase once you understand what you are looking for.

Robert Parker Jr. likes wines that are extracted and concentrated. Big, bold wines that smack you in the face. He has been criticized for his influence on the wine world to go in this direction. Here is a guy that started off thirty years ago with a small newsletter, very little education in wine and a purpose... to be a consumer advocate. Look at where it has gotten him. One of the most powerful individuals in winedom. Do I respect him? Absolutely. Do I agree with him? Not always. If I am in the mood for a big, concentrated wine then I look to Parker. If I am in a mood for a wine with some earthiness, acidity and a little funky, I look to Vaynerchuk. In most cases I simply try thousands of wines and come to my own conclusion and pass it along to my readers. I use the 100 point scale and feel good about it. I have had people disagree with me and I love it. I am glad that they feel comfortable enough with me to know that I simply am using the scoring system as a guide to help them see how I personally feel about a wine... not that my score should be placed on a mantle and worshiped. Most critics just want to help. We like to see individuals get the wine that will be the icing on the cake, the great value, a wine that they will feel good about.

I believe that there are a few critics out there who have let their success go to there head... that they are bigger then wine itself. If they give a wine a big score then we better all stand up and listen!! Sorry, I refuse to go down that road. Wine critics do not define a wine by a score. The wine defines the wine critic by the score he gives it. (I hope that makes sense to you). Wine writers and critics expose their palate by both their descriptions and scores. I am confident to say that most of my readers and friends know what kind of wine I like and they know what to expect when I give a wine a big score. If they haven’t reached that level yet, I want them to get there. On the other hand, it is my responsibility as a wine steward to make sure I understand the palate of my customers so that I can recommend a wine that will suit them. Customers are wine critics too and I must understand where they are coming from.

The debate about scoring wine will rage on, no matter what I write. I only hope to help you understand what is really behind a score. The 100 point scale gives us a broader spectrum of a critics palate, unlike a four star, three glass or five grape cluster scoring system can do. 74 points tells us he or she really does not like it. 98 points tells us that he or she is really in love with this wine. So in short, figure out what the critics like or dislike compared to your palate. Look at their score based on your understanding, and this will help you make an informed decision. Also, make sure you find a critic who scores all wines, good and bad. This is very helpful when trying to understand where their palate is. It seems to be a trend for some wine writers to score or write only about wines that they like, not about wines they don’t. I do not like this trend and this will be the subject of my next article in "Stan Uncorked", I hope you check it out. Let’s give a toast to keeping it real and taking the "Snob" out of wine. Stan

One only has to surf the web for a few minutes to be exposed to the plethora of wine consultants, critics and hobbyist out there, myself included. Some of us have no doubt found a favorite site that we trust and go to in order to see what is out there in the wine world, what is going on and to get help in understanding aspects of this exciting field. Like myself, many go to a site to get information on a specific wine and hope to make a decision on whether to purchase it or not. Let’s face it; if the bottle you are seeking is six dollars or fifty dollars you want to know if your money is going to be well spent! Another reason I read wine critics and surf the web is to expand my palate knowledge. What do I mean?

That being said there are a few sources out there that I go to consistently to get help in training my palate and making purchasing decisions. First of all, a shout out to a good friend of mine Ted Seifert. His palate is excellent and trustworthy. He takes the time to understand what his customers like, myself included. He rarely leads me astray. The Wine Spectator is a fantastic source of information with excellent tasting notes. The Wine Advocate is also a top-notch reference for wine knowledge and palate training. Number One on my list however and I am excited about this knew source that I have recently discovered is Gary Vaynerchuk of www.winelibrarytv.com . Gary Vaynerchuk has trained his palate very well and has learned how to convey his thoughts on a wine in an understandable and concise manner. He has a ton of energy, is very enthusiastic about wine and can be extremely funny. One thing, and this is what I like about the guy; he is not a wine snob. He approaches the subject the same way I do. It does not matter what he thinks about the wine, it matters what you think about it. His descriptions give you a good basis for making a decision. He makes it very clear what he likes and dislikes about a wine and he tries to understand what the majority of his audience likes based on feedback that he gets. Gary will have guests on his program including wine makers and other individuals deeply involved in the wine world. Different episodes include blind tasting, food and wine pairing and during the football season, a lot of commentary about the New York Jets.

Another fine way to train your palate knowledge is to be a part of the tasting events held at the Grange Hall. If you want to take part in these tasting events let me know by sending your e-mail address to stan@blucid.com or by calling Kings Market (360) 378-4505 ext. 1 and ask for Stan.This is to all those out there who are working to keep the wine world real! Stan